Reloading the .223 Rem.: Great .223 Handloads for Bolt and Gas Guns

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The .223 Remington is without doubt the most popular varmint, small-game, and target cartridge in the U.S. these days. It is accurate and versatile, and factory-loaded ammo and reloading components are as available as for any cartridge in these lean days. Plus, rifle and pistol platforms abound, from dainty spot-and-stalk rifles to long and heavy chassis rifles and pipe-barreled benchrest rigs. Most ammunition manufacturers make loads for the .223 Rem., and where there are rifles and factory ammo, there is sure to be a trail of empty cases. Thus, the .223 Rem. is a top seller in handloading tools and components.

The .223 Rem.’s popularity is due in large part to its design and performance and also to its commercial and military heritage. In 1950, Remington introduced the .222 Remington in the then-new Model 722 bolt-action rifle. The Model 722 was homely but very accurate, so the .222 Rem. cartridge was a big hit. It was a completely new case design, and it was the first high-pressure rimless round designed specifically for varmint hunting. The “triple deuce,” as it was known, became a favorite benchrest cartridge, shooting bug-sized groups to the delight of legions of shooters. A slightly larger (but less popular) cartridge called the .222 Remington Magnum was introduced in 1958, and the .223 Rem. case was primarily based on a slightly modified .222 Rem. Mag. cartridge.

In 1964 the U.S. Army modified the chamber and pressure specifications of the .223 Rem. and adopted it as the 5.56x45mm. That cartridge was subsequently forced on NATO nations, and it became the 5.56mm NATO. Remington introduced the .223 Remington as a factory round in 1964, and almost overnight it became immensely popular. This was before the later AR-15 craze ushered in even more .223 Rem. votaries. The .223 Rem. may be a military brat, but it can certainly stand on its own merits, and despite its small size, it produces impressive ballistics. The maximum average pressure (MAP) of the .223 Rem. is 55,000 psi, which is 5,000 psi higher than the MAP for the .222 Rem. Plus, the case is a trifle larger, holding about 8 percent more powder.

The standard bullet weight for the .223 Rem. is 55 grains at a velocity of 3,240 fps, but weights from 40 grains to 77 grains are offered. Factory-rated velocities range from about 3,800 fps for the 40-grain bullet to 2,720 fps for the long 77-grain bullet. Which brings me to the topic of rifling twist. The original rifling twist rate for the 5.56x45mm was one turn per 14 inches (1:14). However, the Army found that a 1:14 twist wouldn’t stabilize the 55-grain M193 FMJ-BT bullet at low temperatures, so the “standard” twist for the M16 was changed to one turn per 12 inches (1:12). Later, other bullets developed for the military required a twist of one turn per seven inches (1:7), and this faster twist is also applied to longer, heavier bullets. Thus, twist rates of 1:10, 1:9, 1:8, 1:7, and even 1:6.5 are found in rifles designed for shooting longer bullets. It is an important point to make sure that the twist rate is appropriate for the bullet being used. The 1:12 twist is fine and dandy for bullet weights up to about the standard 55 grains. Heavier bullets are longer, so faster twists are required. All this popularity is not lost on folks shooting handloaded ammo. In fact, .223 Remington die sets are the second most popular on RCBS’s die popularity list.

Dies and other reloading tools for the .223 Rem. are listed by all manufacturers, and every imaginable gauge, cutter, and seating punch is usually available. The usual precautions as to case inspection and preparation, trimming, and bulletseating depths should be followed, and this is a good time for the beginning handloader to review the introductory chapters of his favorite reloading manual. While most .223 Rem. handloaders are experienced at the craft, as always, be careful, go slowly, and check everything twice. Since there are such wide arrays of bullets and powders available for the .223 Rem., it is impossible to test all of them. So, it is efficient to first decide the role of the ammo being built, gather several representative bullets and suitable propellants, and then narrow the potential choices down before loading test loads.

The .223 Rem. uses Small Rifle primers, and while everyone has their favorite, if there is any appreciable difference in accuracy between them, I haven’t seen it. The Remington No. 6½ (standard) and No. 7½ (magnum) have been standbys for decades, and they work well with the .223 Rem. The CCI 400, CCI 450, and CCI BR-4 Bench Rest primers also are popular. For AR ammo, the CCI 41 (actually designed for the 6.8 Remington SPC round) can be substituted for the CCI 450 Small Rifle Magnum primer. Note that surplus military brass is usually a little thicker and heavier than commercial brass, so it has a little less volume, which may raise pressures with the same load in commercial cases. Plus, military cases usually have crimped-in primers, and this is an additional preparation chore to perform. For this report, I gathered data for eight rifles chambered to .223 Remington. Some are from my current battery, and others are from previous gun tests. Most are the popular AR platform with 16-inch barrels, but I also included an AR pistol with a 10.5-inch barrel and a Weatherby bolt-action rifle with a 22-inch barrel. In all, data from 61 loads in these rifles are listed in the load table. The overall average group size of all loads was an impressive 1.07 inches.

You’ll see that I included handloads that fit four basic categories, based on bullet weight. The first category includes lightweight varmint bullets, weighing from 40 grains to 55 grains. The next category is medium weight varmint bullets (for hunting predators) that weigh from about 55 grains to 65 grains. The next group includes medium weight monolithic and controlled-expansion bullets for smaller-size big game. They weigh from 62 grains to 77 grains. Rounding out the field are loads for longer, heavier bullets preferred by long-range target shooters. These are for fast-twist barrels with 1:8, 1:7.5, and 1:7 twists.

To be sure, there will be considerable crossover between these categories, so the shooter can switch between groups easily, and the design and composition of today’s .22-caliber bullets affects their use by category. Powder selection for .223 Rem. handloads is easy, as so many are suitable. In addition to the velocity level produced, another powder feature is how well it flows through a drum powder measure. Spherical powders are superior in this regard, but many of the newer small-kernel extruded powders also work great. In the spherical category, CFE 223, Ball-C(2), Power Pro Varmint, TAC, and X-Terminator are applicable to many different loads. For the extruded powders, it is hard to beat Benchmark, AR Comp, Reloder 15, N135, N140, and N540. One or more of these propellants is sure to work well with a variety of bullets.

As for the first category of bullets, this group probably gets the most use these days. For hunting woodchucks, prairie dogs, and such, a good, explosive 50- to 55-grain bullet at or near maximum velocity is hard to beat. A point to consider here, however, is that while lighter-weight bullets can be driven at astronomical speeds, they may not be as accurate as heavier and longer bullets, and the lighter ones may exhibit unacceptable wind deflection. Moving up in bullet weight, the .223 Rem. loaded with heavier and/or tougher bullets can deliver a sockdolager that should make distant rock chucks and coyotes squirm. Bullets in the range of 60 to 65 grains work well here, and there are lots of good ones. In addition, the use of a monolithic bullet allows the shooter to drop down a bit in bullet weight without sacrificing terminal performance. Just remember to check the suitable twist frate of the barrel. With judicious application, the .223 Rem. is suitable for some smaller big game, in the hands of the persnickety rifleman, and there are specialty bullets designed for such uses. With a fast twist, heavier projectiles up to 75, 77, and 80 grains can be used. The Swift 75-grain Scirocco II is a good candidate for such loads. For a lighter load, try the Sierra 65-grain SBT or the Nosler 64-grain Bonded Solid Base at around 2,550 fps.

Long-range target shooting is super-popular these days, and just about every shooter appreciates the mild recoil of the .223 Rem. For these pursuits, the fastest twists and heaviest bullets come into play. Velocities appear modest, compared to the fast varmint loads, but the long bullets really carry the mail downrange. Premier target bullets like the Hornady 75-grain BTHP Match, the Sierra 69-grain HPBT, the Nosler 77-grain Custom Competition, and the Hornady 80-grain A-Max fill the bill here. Bullets as heavy as 90 grains are available in .22-caliber, but in my experience, the .223 Rem. just doesn’t give them high enough velocities to wring out top performance. They, of course, require the fastest twists. Overall, the .223 Remington demonstrates great versatility for its modest size, and there are many components available because it’s so popular. Or maybe it’s so popular because there are so many fine bullets and powders available for it.  Either way, it’s pure delight to prepare cartridges for many shooting purposes, tweaked to the specific task. The .223 Remington is clearly a winner.

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